Pull-chain terminal



Feb. 17, 1931. J, J, @00K PULL CHAIN TERMINAL Original Filed June 3. 1927 um UU Ressued Feb. 17, 1931 UNFT STATES Re. item JOHN J. ooox, or CHICAGO, 'ILLINOIS PULL-QHAIN 'iERivIINALA Original No. 1,672,929, dated .Tune 12, 1928, Serial No. 196,357, led .Tune 3, 1927. Application for reissue filed November 29, 1929. Serial No.. 410,617.

My invention relates to iinproifements in pull chain terminals; and more particularly such as lights.

An object of my invention to provide a pull chain terminal which may be made at a minimum cost, of light material, suc-li as thin sheet brass; but which is. so made that it is strong enough to resist a compression strain or a tension strain.

A further object isto'provide a terminal which necessitates the use of relatively little material, thereby further decreasing the cost of manufacture.

A still further object is to provide a terminal having a slot for admitting the central wire portion of a pull chain, the terminal being so constructed that when it is attached to the chain the slot will be substantially closed, thus ohviating the necessity of soldering or further steps in the making of the terminal.

These objects, and other objectsand advantages attained with my invention, will are adapted to be used on electric become apparent from the following descrip-l tion, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the device, showing one embodiment of this invention, mounted on a pull chain.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view thereof, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side view thereof, a portion being broken away.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged inverted plan view thereof. l

Fig. 5 is a view showing an extension cord being applied to the terminal and pull chain.

Fig. 6 shows the position o-f the members when the cord and the termina-l have been applied to the pull chain. i

In carrying out my invention, I make use of a piece of thin metal, such as brass.. his is stamped into the form illustrated in the drawing, wherein I have shown a hexagonal shape as being the preferred forni, although other shapes might be usedwitnout departing from the invention. t

LIt will he observed that this improved device has a body portion 1 which is curved at its top or upperenchas shown at 2, to form a small bell-shaped member, and is provided with a central upper opening 3 in saidtop. Said top is corrugated to provide ridges 4 alternating with grooves 5. A slot 6 extends to the lower edge lating the electric switch, although the device il made of sheet metal which is relatively t in.

The terminal is attached to the chain by slipping the central wire portion v7 of the chain into the slot 6. In order to guide it into the slot, I preferably Ywiden the latter slightly, as shown at 6a in Fig. 3. One of the balls 8 of the chain is slipped underneath the opening 3, where it is centered. Owing to the corrugations, the sides of the slot will spring together so that it will be virtually closed, as shown in Fig. 1, thereby ohviating the necessity of any further steps in the manufacture.

I have found that where these corrugations are not present, as for instance where the terminal is made of a smooth, heinispherical shell, there will not be this spring action which tends to close the slot and that the slot will tend to remain open. The corrugating of the terminal, therefore, has a double function. It makes possible the. use of avery thin piece of metal in the making of a terminal which would otherwise be crushed out of shape, and at the same time it provides a spring action, so that when the chain is in position in the terminal, the slot will be closed..

It is necessary that the axis of the corrugations be substantially transverse to the direction of the slot. If, for instance, the corrugations were concentric with the opening 3, then the slot from the central opening to the lower edge would not be closed, upon passing th-e central wire of the chain therethrough.

readily mounted on the pulljohainbymerely 'moving the central Wire portion ofthe latter The eorrugations also prevent any possibility of the chain pulling out from the central opening, bythe springing apart of the metal.

This improved terminal vis designed and provided to take the place of the customary ball terminals, which are diiiioult to make because they require a number of operations in themanufacture thereof, thereby considerably increasing their oost;v whereaswith thisl invention I have pro rideda terminal'whioh can be made With-one stamping operation., and of very thin metal, thereby greatly-redo# ing its oost; andthis,terminaloanfthenf be through the slotV int-'o 'the eentral opening."

Another useful feature connected with my improved terminal is that 1t may be used 1n Connection with an extension cord by merely looping the Cord over the pull chain above y the terminal'. In Fig. 5 Ihave thus illustrated the terminal as being reversed from the position shown in- Fig. l and thereby the botto-m ball or end ball of the ball chain is positioned outside instead of inside of the terminal. It is only necessary to loop the cord 9 over the ohainv at the open end or month of theter'minal, and then pull it down so that the. ehainand terminal and'cordv Willassume substantially the position shown vin '6; and saidterminal will function in securely iold-ing said oord in position on said chain during use; While, ordinarily, Withthe terminals of thefother types, the extension cords have to be tied upon the ehains'to prevent'dis engagement of the cords during use. lVhat- I claim as my invention and secure' by Letters Patent is:

` l. A pull chain terminal, comp-risinga sin'- gle piece of relatively thin metal stamped intol bell sha-peandhavingl radially` extending? ridges and grooves on vits closed' end, said closed end having a central opening, and a 'slot from said Central opening to the edge of the terminal. y

2. A pull' Chain terminal,y comprising a single piece of metai stamped into bell shape and' havingeorrugations extending from a point near the center of the closed end' toward the edge ofthe bell shaped piece, said closed end having a central opening, and a slot ez:- tendiiig from said central openingto the edge vof the terminal, the longitudinal axis of the slot beingat right angles toi the axis of the adi aoent' corrugations.

3. A pull chai-n terminal, comprising a. sin' gle pieee of'relati-vel'y thin metal stamped intov bell shape land having radially extending i vridges and grooves on its closed end, said terminal being adapted to be reversed upon the pull chain, said closed end having a eentral opening and a; slot from said' central opening to the edge` of the terminal. l

A pull chain. terminal leomprismg a piece of relatively thin metal stampedY into desire to bell-shaped member having a central opening at the vclosed upper end and a slot extending therefrom to the lower edge, to receive the central Wire portion of arp-ull Chain passedl through saidslot, said terminal having its thin metal curved to provide 'reinforcement and resiliency to urge the metal at the sides of said slot together and to normally hold the slot closed for positively retaining said central Wire" in 'said' opening.

, 1A pull chain terminal consisting of a single bell-shaped member having a central openingat-the Closed upper end and a normally closed slot extending from said openingy to the lower end for receiving the Central wire portion of al pull chain passed through said slot, the metal of said terminal beingl arranged to provide reinforcement for the thin metal and resiliency to retain the slot Closedv a-nd retain said Wire in said opening, 'and said terminal being mountable in reversed position upon said chain for holding an extension Cord thereon Within said terminal.

Gpfipull chain termina-l consisting of a single piece of relatively thin met-alstamped into a substantially dome-shaped member, the closed. rounded: upper end having a round Central opening therein, and a slit extended from said central opening'to the lower edge of saidterminal, said terminal having means thereon extending:downwardly from thetopto the,r lower edgeforreinforcing said thin metal of the terminal and-- for providing. inherent resiliency to normally close said slit and securely retai-nthe. Wireportion of thel pull. chain in said Central opening after beingI passed through said slit.

.In testimony whereof I have signed my n ame to this speci-iication.

JoHNJ. oooK.

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